Hair drier attachment



Aug. 12, 1958 H. COLLINS HAIR DRIER ATTACHMENT Filed July 2 9, 1957 INVENTOR. HAZELCOLL/NS ATTO RNE Y United States Patent-C DRIER ATTAGHMEN Hazel Gollin s,Long Beach, Calif.

Application July 29, 1957, Serial No; 74,778 9 Claims. 01. 34-30 The -pr en invention-relates to an attachmen f r a hair rdriens i the large: permanent. pe v he atta hmen Patented Aug, 12, 1958 2. an upholstered ,chain associated with thei-hair driercaspartuof a unitary installationzrthedifiiculty is that: excess; moisture; was out :onto the, chainiandrruins; the upholstery, or the, wet combsand brushes: tan 01111210]? the hair: drier: onto the chair :With 'the same: result.

An. object of the present invention, therefore, -is 1 provide aninexpensive attachmentwhichmay: be, used;

being particularly adanted..fbr usenin cosmetolo i alr stabhshmene for drying largennnmh r m QQmb:.f I brushes" 1 Many conveniences: are now available.- in; a. .rn d m-i eosme clogical restahlishn entn h0weve1;,.- thei con win demandionhighere stanclard ecfewe er q i es1st f n the imnrnvementsn o be made. FonexamP1e,,-1yniea-1- statelaws establish. very ,strict, standards; for:v cleanliness; nnasanitationa whichmwi hw existing v s yp s-i of: app rat iinnosesn -spbstan ialr expense: upon the. ownerof the cqsrnetological .es ablishmen -r- Ihe avenagahe ut e an during, th course of .ih sr-cr-n her enkingndaxn'u a: large number. ant cnmb and bru hes, each-of whi hfmusta-besthcreughiye cl aned p or. oianyineense-th reefi al braexampl on ,n rat r.n gh usev a. Wdoz nphrnshesn andsfQrtx-"mmb wi :a-sing e vday. Al nwotherapp ratnsrsuch a ihnir netseandie ips-whieh: are nsed-nn aapatmnfs hea rnus b -z texilizetl befo ach u e. Y

.Clleaning.--,nmcednre which .is. in ne. m ndatory by-e ypieallstatet ta nte inv lv s inumbenni epa at st ps, one ofwhicli is the drying of the combs, brushes and;

Qtheranparatns. Equipment heretofore available for, th p ticular nu aose has heen eith rpinadeqnat nc exorbi tantlY-exn nsiv hence the.attachmentnnovidedmbythe Pm en nennn.

Q1 .Qljanrswedwze establish dlhy eynicals tate, stat:

ut'egfor' the-cleaning. qflh anti iansi ombs andlnbrnsh s includes. th .fbll w ngasenara r'stensz1 I (l ')I'- r bhing; the-comhsendZbinshes .with lsoep anti,

water, .7

(2) 'Iinmersing the combs and brnshes fbr,2- t.JQ%s,t,.-,

f 'st n w thtwhi h ih n e ent inyentinnis inmlyediis the par cu ar step cfldQ- ying, he, ombs. and 'hruslies,-.

ngflQI l Q e phase; of the. nvenallleleanlng, andstl riliznsnro es a 1 "Conven ien liap natatns such a \a of t e inijra-red ype may be obt in d; for .dty ecomlis andi bru hesa nne -1 veluible Spac 1 ,nessible to. .n e: a cone venti on l a'i r e of the large pen anent typ fer. h purpose; of.,di ying, mb a nd 1 his is the she a most generalljy c ep e d methoi. e 111 it many. inconveniences andishortcomin gsn Combs a n brushes may be: 'insertedi within the fieryvgrd cavity .012 t f a 'h i'r ri ut the. capaci y sn elim'i edl.

erm m i ulty s ncount red swithhayingn e combs andhnushesilhontof .thedniernntcthe .fl or.

and. hus. req iring. complete. .re-sterilizafim; r here e; ansifhnnshesf WithQkfiIl water...

rdr e b an.-

s h wswer;v i i ra her XPQlSI QJIQII vpfem mm m for e a a e m lc a1. establishmen .annsal e in conjunction with a, conventional hair: drierof theslarge: permanent type for ndryingv lar enumbers 1.0f' combs L. and;v brnshes in a cosmetological establishment."

Another object of the invention is to, prQv-id'esuch; an attachment which is small and inexpensivenandtmayt beconveniently used .or stored away while-noth-invusesp A further objectof thejnvention; isutopronidensnehsan attachment in which a large.-,qnantitygofgembsiand; she mayeq ven,ien zlyv c rrie from :th r ecei he wthey h been rinsed du in thee-leaning p ocess;v wh ch may b tac ed to'the. h ir drier io drying the: ombs-and bru h d wh ch maythen be conveniently. deta heda m thehair drie er car yingthe combs a d: brushes to-the drysterilizer.

Still sanothfil" object f the invent on is. tel-p ovin a dn'er atta hm n r se n rying mbsnand nsh sn spe of o r-a l p oce sef eari i v ndasten ting; h omb an ru h saansli which n yz easi y ept tn leashe e sanitary a th qu pm nt used 0th,, ep of th an ng; n st ril zin preee s:

Y t a furth r obj c Q the-v n entienis tn PQWJQQL; a dri r attachment for dryinglargegnantities oficornb ndhrush s, a d omp i a a y ahri bag e d i nen g, op pen ng nd a fle b encircling the endcpening; and. adapted:- on movably insert d i to the =d i nheadnf ah -L large, and permanent, type:

The ,.abb,ve and 0t obje t and advan ages oflnnyc mention-will be mere; r a i y nder nesi m e; ell w g dese pti niin n inncti n with eaeee "namena r wi ,-.in:wh c 1 Figure: .1 is. a per Pee we ie -ef thenresentla-P efem n: nn ot'my. noyelfldri attach nt, shewi athe -manner? of. .its..,attachm nt t :ac nven iona hain dnen of \th xlfigsn permane t ype; 1 i

Fignre 2 is a vertical erqsssection view of Eignrez l v1d.... h ws.v the ma ne inwhiehisa ,l-a -geqsiuem ty-.=ofi. emhsand b ushes are h ldi my o e adr enet ach-c mentn v Figure 3 .is a perspective v ew. f: the no el-drier all: tacliinent; I

.Eignre is a ,layeu edna n showi g-the sh pe-p16 he mainm t abnc niece .used i i he drs e m ttachmen o fiigure 3'; an

F u .e 5 i de a l..viewmftheadinstment mechanism .thenexibk metal bandrnse i n m d er-attachm n of Figure 3. I

Ref rring n w, othe. dr wing andqnaet enlarly te Figes 1' n 2 the eo a -e n yen cma1.h r d er .haistially cylindrical drierhead I'OJha-Vingan en egg and a closed end 25, closed end-ZSFhiiying aplnrality of air ports-1'1 therein by means'ofwhich air inayyh; ad-

mitted =to-the "interior of the I drier -head. A vertical Isupport :post 12: provides meansfor rota-tably supporting drier heade10; the support post being eat-tachedi-to the" undensurface 'nf-thewdrierheaiz Ie-win hei nnd'ersteod thatsthe iconventionaledrier may includameanszfiorvmotat ing thje. drier head s that openrend zfitthereofamayoccupy. a snbstantiall verticalep ane, as shewnin Eignresd and 2 or. .rna-y e. pointed down ardly t neeupyzn snhst nti lly rizon al pl n o maysas nme any (P Q-Q93 inter-z ed at theretor- Th ementin a ha -P -W d d h een nn ash w n en eon mllin eth s position of the drier head and for fastening or locking the drier head in any selected position.

v The drier attachment A includes an elongate fabric bag, one end of which is closed by means of an end piece D and. the other end of which is inserted within the drier head. That end of the bag which is inserted within the drier head has an opening H, as is more clearly shown in Figure 3, the opening H permitting warm air supplied by the hair drier to flow into the attachment Ah Attachment A also has on its normally upwardly disposed side an access opening G which may be used for inserting combs and brushes into the attachment, or removing them therefrom, and which further provides means for the escape of air forcibly circulated from the hair drier into the attachment.

Within the drier head 10 and adjacent to the closed end 25 thereof there is a circular heating element 13 which is disposed symmetrically about the longitudinal axis of the drier head. A circular shield 14 is disposed adjacent the heating element and shields the inner sur face thereof, as well as the surface facing toward open end 20 of the drier head, and precludes burning the head of a person whose hair is being dried within the drier head while at the same time causing heat from element 13 to "be reflected toward the rearward or closed portion of the drier head. A fan 17 driven by a motor 18 is symmetrically disposed behind heating element 13 in such a position as to draw unheated air into the drier head through air ports 11 and force the air past heating element 13 and hence out through the open end of the drier head. A number of circular baffles 15 are concentrically disposed about shield 14 and, together with a rigid support structure, are rigidly fastened to the interior surface of drier head 10. A grill 16 covers the area Within shield 14 and immediately in front of fan 17.

At the open end 20 of drier head 10 the inner portion of the drier head may be designated as forward cavity 21, being the portion of the drier head which is normally placed over and around the head of a person whose hair is being dried. At the forward edge of drier head 10 is an inwardly extending flange 22 which encircles the entire circumference of the drier head and partially closes off the forward cavity 21. Electrical control switches designated generally as 23 are mounted on the upper exterior surface of drier head 10 and adjacent to flange 22.

, Thus it is seen in Figures 1 and 2 that the end of drier attachment A which is inserted into forward cavity 21 of drier head 10 of the hair drier Z is retained therein primarily by the flange 22. A large quantity of combs and brushes J are placed within attachment A and may to some extent rest upon a bottom portion of the fabric bag which extends within forward cavity 21, but predominantly occupy a portion of the fabric bag which is exterior to drier head 10, as is shown in Figure 2.

' Reference is now made to Figures 3 to of the drawing illustrating in greater detail the presently preferred form of my invention.

As shown in Figure 3 drier attachment A includes a fabric bag -B, a flexible metal band B, and band adjustment clips 41, 42. Fabric bag B includes a main fabric piece C, Shown in expanded form in Figure 4, and a circular end fabric piece D.

Fabric bag B is in the shape of a truncated cone having the large end thereof entirely open, the small end entirely closed, and an approximately V-shaped opening in its top surface, the wide portion of this opening being at the large end of the cone. Flexible band B associated 'with the large end of the cone bridges the wide portion of the V-shaped opening and is adjustable in length so that the effective diameter of the large end of the cone may be either increased or decreased with respect to its normal value. In the preferred form of the invention as shown the top opening is not truly V-shaped but is wider in the middle in order to permit easier access for inserting or removing combs and brushes, and also to permit freer flow of heated air generated by the hair drier.

Reference is now made to Figure 4 illustrating how main fabric piece C is cut. A pie-shaped piece of mate rial representing an angular segment of a circle is cut along an inner are 31. It also has an outer are 33 corresponding to a radius which is over twice the radius represented by inner are 31. Straight edges 34, 35 (shown partly in solid and partly in dotted line) interconnect arcs 31 and 33 to define the remainder of the pie-shaped section. Cut outs 36, 37 are then made on the central portions of edges 34 and 35, respectively. An outer fold line 32 which is spaced a short distance from outer are 33 and concentrically therewith indicates where the fabric is to be folded to provide an open hem within which flexible band B may be inserted.

Figure 5 illustrates flexible band B having its two ends overlapping each other and engaged by a pair of spaced apart clips 41, 42 to provide for adjustment of the band circumference in a well-known manner.

Referring again to Figure 3, the sides of main fabric piece C are hemmed to prevent fraying, and inner are 31 is sewed to the perimeter of fabric piece D, all in a conventional manner. ing outwardly from the respective ends of the open hem which is defined by fold line 32, and are fastened to-' gether in the manner shown in greater detail in Figure 5.

The manner of use of my invention is very simple. A quantity of combs and brushes which have been rinsed are placed in the fabric bag which is then transported to an available hair drier which has its drier head clamped in a horizontally aligned position. Flexible band B of the drier attachment is folded inwardly upon itself to decrease the effective radius of the large end of the bag and is inserted within the drier head before being released so as to resume its normal shape. The attachment is then retained in position due to friction between the bag and the inner surface of the drier head, and primarily because flange 22 makes the diameter of the open end of the drier head smaller than the diameter of flexible band E.

Many different types of hair driers are commercially available at the present time and all of them utilize a drier head substantially as shown and having a forward cavity therein as well as an inwardly extending flange similar to flange 22. The diameter of the drier head and of the flange varies from one type of hair drier to the next, however. Thus the adjustable length of flexible band B may be varied by at least four inches so that it will work reliably with any one of the standard types of hair driers.

After the combs and brushes have been dried, the drier attachment may be removed from the hair drier simply by grasping flexible band B and folding it inwardly upon itself, in the same manner as when the drier attachment was inserted. The entire attachment may then be transported to the dry sterilizer. I The need for the beautician to handle the combs and brushes individually during the cleaning and sterilizing process is therefore minimized, and much time is saved in the drying operation.

While flexible band E is preferably made of spring steel having a rust-proof coating, it may be made of any other suitable material. Bag B is preferably made of canvas duck material which is not waterproofed and preferably being No. 10 weight. This material soaks up the excess water from the wet combs and brushes but at the same time the water does not leak out or drip. During the drying operation, the forced draft of warm air generated by the hair drier is forced directly against all of the interior surface of the bag. The reason for this is that the bag has a substantially conical shape as mentioned above. The forced draft against the inner surface of the bag causes moisture to evaporate rapidly and escape through the upwardly disposed access opening G, and also to evaporate rapidly from the exterior sur- Band B has its two ends project two or-"th ree'by the conventional rmethodi The conventional method referred" to is' that of" inserting the wet combs' andbruslieswit-liin forward "cavity-{2 1: ofthe' drier head andresting upon the lower inside surface thereof adjacent flange'ZZZ" Anotherad'va'ntage"oflmyinventibhisthat where 'bag' B is made of fabric it may be convenien' tlywashed fromtime to time in a, conventionalwashing machine, as the need arises." ftisthe'refbreca'sy 'to'keepmy novel drier attachment ati l'eastiza'scleanrassany other apparatus which is usedin the process of cleaningand sterilizing thecombs andgbrushes i fwhilertheidirawing specifically illustrates only thetpresenfly preferred form of 'my invention, many other forms and variations thereof may be utilized within the scope and spirit of my invention, as well as within the scope of the appended claims. Some of the possible variations will be discussed in the ensuing paragraphs.

Bag B need not be made of canvas but may be made of any suitable fabric. Furthermore, a plastic material may be used, in which case excess moisture from the combs and brushes may be absorbed by placing a dry sterilized towel in the bottom of the bag B and then placing the combs and brushes thereon. Such towel may then be laundered after each use of the drier attachment in order to maintain sanitation.

An entirely different concept for bag B is to employ a type of material which is inexpensive and can be disposed of after a relatively small number of uses. For example, an inexpensive type of heavy paper material would be very suitable. The shape of the bag could then be adapted as necessary in order to achieve maximum economy of manufacture, and it would probably be desirable to fabricate the bag as a single piece of paper.

The shape of bag B need not be restricted to a truncated cone, as shown, nor does the upper opening need to be a modified V, as shown. The principal considerations in determining the shape of the bag are cost of manufacture, effectiveness of the bag in supporting a large quantity of combs and brushes therein, ease of access for inserting or removing combs and brushes, and the effectiveness of the bag in circulating warm air and in drying the combs and brushes. It will in general be preferable to fabricate the bag from a single piece of material.

The support member need not be in the form shown, as a suitable piece of piano wire may be used instead of a flat band. Also, in lieu of flexible band B, it may be convenient to use a band which is co-extensive with the perimeter of the bag opening, together with an adjustable mechanical device for controlling the expansion of the band in order to enage the interior surface of the drier head.

Although my invention is fully capable of achieving the results and providing the advantages hereinbefore mentioned, it is to be understood that it is merely the presently preferred embodiment thereof, and that I do not mean to be limited to the details of construction above described other than as defined in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In combination with an electric hair drier of the type including a substantially bucket-shaped drier head having an inwardly extending flange encircling the open end thereof, and means positioned within said drier head adjacent the closed end thereof and electrically operable for propelling a current of heated air toward said open end, a comb and brush drying attachment comprising: a container made of a pliable sheet material and having two openings therein which are contiguous and are disposed at substantially a right angle to each other, one of said openings being adapted to be joined to the open end of said drier head, the other of said openings being normally upwardly dis posed;.a normally circular spring steel supportmember encircling said one opening of said" containerand defining a boundary "between said one opening and said other opening; means' maintaining said support member in supporting engagement with said container; and means-for adjusting thecircumference-of said support member-to be greater than the inner circumference of saidflange'but less'than the inner" circumference of said drier head wherebysaid support member when flexed an'd inserted within said 'd'r'ier head, is operableto support said drying; attachment so' that heated .air generated by said'electric drier enters-said container via said onev opening and-leaves via said other'opening.

ZJ ID COmbiIlKtlOH with an electric hair .drier of the.

type including a substantially, bucket=shaped drier'head;

having an inwardly extendinggtlange encircling the open end-thereof, and 'fmeans' -pos'itioned within" said drier head" adjacent theclosed end' thereof and electrically operable for propelling a current of heated air toward said open end, a comb and brush drying attachment comprising: a container made of a pliable sheet material and having two openings therein which are contiguous and are disposed at substantially a right angle to each other, one of said openings being adapted to be joined to the open end of said drier head, the other of said openings being normally upwardly disposed; a support member encircling said one opening of said container and defining a boundary between said one opening and said other opening; means maintaining said support member in supporting engagement with said container; and means operable after said support member is inserted within said drier head for outwardly expanding said support member so as to be retained against the inner face of said flange, thereby to support said drying attachment.

3. A drier attachment suitable for drying a beauticians combs and brushes and adapted to be removably attached to an electric hair drier, said attachment comprising: a container made of a pliable sheet material and having two openings therein which are contiguous and are disposed at substantially a right angle to each other, one of said openings being adapted to be joined to the open end of the electric hair drier; a normally circular spring steel support member encircling said one opening of said container and defining a boundary between said one opening and said other opening; means maintaining said support member in supporting engagement with said container; and means for adjusting the circumference of said support member to fit within the drier head of the electrical hair drier in relatively tight engagement with the inner surface thereof so that heated air generated by the electric drier enters said container via said one opening and leaves said container via said other opening.

4. A drier attachment as claimed in claim 3 wherein said container has the shape of a truncated cone, said one opening being the base of the cone and said other opening being substantially V-shaped with the wide part thereof being contiguous to said one opening.

5. A drier attachment as claimed in claim 4 wherein said container includes a first circular section forming the vertex thereof, and a second section having an inner are at a first fixed radius from a predetermined reference point, an outer arc having a second fixed radius with respect to the same reference point and which is at least twice as great as said first fixed radius, the inner arc of said second section being fastened along the circumference of said first section, and the outer arc of said second section being folded over to provide an open hem within which said support member may be inserted.

6. A drier attachment as claimed in claim 3 wherein said pliable sheet material is relatively rigid canvas fabric having a substantial moisture-absorbing capacity.

7. A drier attachment as claimed in claim 3 wherein said pliable sheet material is paper and may economically be disposed of after a very few uses.

7 8. A drier attachment as claimed in claim 5 wherein said spring steel support member is an elongate flat strip which is normally bent into a circular configuration so that its two ends are overlapping, and in which the means for adjusting the circumference of said support member includes a pair of removable clips holding the two ends of said support member together in frictional engagement. 4

9. A drier attachment suitable for drying a beauticians combs and brushes and adapted to be removably attached to an electric hair drier of the type which includes an open drier head having aninwardly extending flange encircling the open end thereof, said attachment comprising: a container made of a pliable sheet material and having two openings therein which are contiguous and which are disposed at substantially a right angle to each other, one of said openings being adapted to be joined to the open endof the drier head; a support member enclosing saidone opening of said container and defining a boundary between said one opening and said other opening; means maintaining said support member in sup porting engagement with said container; and means operable after said support member is inserted Within the drier head for outwardly expanding said support member against the inner face of said flange, thereby to support the drier attachment.

References Cited in thelfile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

